To Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Vicksburg was the "nailhead that holds the South's two halves together." President Abraham Lincoln remarked "Vicksburg is the key" to victory, and could be the north's lifeline into the south. As the federals closed in on the Fortress City, they were met by a ring of forts with over 170 cannon. The resulting battle would determine the war's outcome.
Union Cannon
The Union artillery played a major role in the outcome of the Vicksburg Campaign.
Illinois State Memorial
Stars gleam behind the Illinois State Memorial.
The Shirley House
Roses in bloom in front of the Shirley House, the only remaining Civil War structure in the park.
Ranger Programs
A park ranger in a Union Civil War uniform talks to a crowd of visitors.
